Which is better really - Mac or PC for video editing?

[heavenlychoirs]

Hi,
I don't know if I have posted in the correct forum. I am really annoyed with my imac. It is basically the worst computer I have ever had - it's a G5 and I have had it repaired about 5 times now by apple and had the hard drive replaced 4 times! I am now having to take it in again to Apple to be repaired again! Afterwards I will sell it on as spares. I do feel with Apple Mac 'never again' in a way. I don't trust them anymore.

I was about to embark on learning Final Cut Pro and getting started with filmmaking but now I am wondering (since I am going to have to buy a new computer) what computer I should buy. I have looked at the specs and PC's seem far better value for money - much more powerful compared to Macs. I was thinking of running adobe premiere and only using the computer for editing and capturing, nothing else such as internet (to stop any bugs). I was just wondering what people's experiences are on this forum since I think Mac have a very clever marketing campaign which make Macs appear to be tailored for 'creative uses' but is that really the reality.

I want to spend about £1500-700 and just really don't know if I should get a mac book pro or a pc. Your thoughts?

[dakineyj]

Well I think you have come to the wrong place if you want someone to sell you on PC.

In my own situation, I had an Alienware laptop I was trying to make movies with. It was always having problems and could hardly burn a full DVD. Then I got a big project of transfer family VHS to DVD. That's when I decided to switch to mac. I haven't looked back since. The macbook pro I got has been flawless for the last 2 years, not one problem with it, that I didn't cause. When I purchased it I also purchased Final Cut Express. I have never used any programs like that before and was able to figure it out. When I want to post a short video to the web I use iMovie, it's so easy to edit and post it takes longer to upload than anything else. That is terrible that you iMac has had so many problems but I would guess that is not normal for mac users.

[DriftNismo]

The reason Macs are tailored for "creative uses" is because they a huge amount faster than Windows PCs, and take a lot less power to run applications, which is great for very graphical and memory-sucking apps like Final Cut Pro and Logic Express. However, it appears you don't have that much of a budget, and to be straight Apple are absolute rip-offs when it comes to their computers, you will get a LOT better value for money with a PC, so I do recommend PC unless you are willing to spend about £2000 on a new computer, in which case a Mac Pro would be the better choice. There is still plenty of film editing software available for Windows, so don't worry about software, and even though Windows takes a lot more to run, you could build a beast of a computer for cheaper than buying a powerful Mac, and I recommend doing that.

[Chilbear]

It is unfortunate that you had picked probably the worst generation of desktop macs (G5 PPC) to buy and have issues with. They ran very hot and all kinds of issues and that is why I waited out the G5 period, jumping from G4 to Intel.

I would consider you moving to 1 gen old Mac Pro rahter than the laptop as you can add/fix and change the components rather than the fixed to board components of the MacBook though it is a great machine as mention prior. With video you will always want faster and better and you can up the video cards and HD speeds easier with a Pro, if funds allow. You are on the right path - sell the G5 and move on. Perhaps rent a Pro and a BookPro to test them out from a local store that caters to Video people. Renting a laptop for a day shoot makes tonnes of sense.

[D3v1L80Y]

Neither one is "better".
Determining which is "Better" for you personally is subjective and a matter of your opinion only.

I have done extensive video editing on both systems (Premiere on Windows and FCP on Mac, AfterEffects on both) and haven't found one to surpass the other.

[heavenlychoirs]

Hi guys,

thank you for all your comments. I will have to research this a lot further as one of you said, I really want to get a 'beast' of a machine, I think I would like a mac pro and I know I will have to spend at least about 2K but if this is something I really want to do then I have to fork out. Then there is buying a decent camcorder which again is some 3k for a Sony ex1. But then I won't have to spend out ever again I imagine. I don't drink or smoke so I will just have to get a good credit card so I can afford myself this luxury. Many thanks. p.s Driftnismo do you by any chance know of an outlet (obviously not pcworld) where you can get a custom build computer to match your requirements at all?

[DriftNismo]

I did happen to come across this site not too long ago:

PC Specialist.co.uk

It has endless customization possibilities for your computer with amazing prices and quite quick build and delivery time. I haven't personally dealt with them before but I know someone who has who was very happy with what they came out with for him.

Hope that helps, good luck on your computer search .

[heavenlychoirs]

Hey!

Thanks Driftnismo for your reply. I will definitely check them out since I don't think a mac book pro and hd screen etc is cheap enough for my budget. :-)

[dtravis7]

Just curious, is your iMac G5 the older one without the iSight camera? I have the last iMac G5 with the camera and never have had an issue 24 hours a day in 3 years now. The older iMac G5's had some capacitor issues that caused a lot of problems.

[brianfisher]

Get a PC. I have a Mac Pro with 6GB RAM and all I can say is - get a PC. Don't hook it up to the net and it'll be fine. Final Cut for Mac is an awesome program but Premiere will do all that too - and you can copy your own home DVDs which you can't do on a Mac. I'm having to fire up my old PC just to copy some mountain biking DVDs I made a while back. The Mac won't do it. 6GB of RAM for nothing. Steve Jobs is a ... . Get a PC.

[cwa107]

Just curious, is your iMac G5 the older one without the iSight camera? I have the last iMac G5 with the camera and never have had an issue 24 hours a day in 3 years now. The older iMac G5's had some capacitor issues that caused a lot of problems.

... the entire industry had capacitor problems in machines sold in the 2004, early 2005 time period. This is nothing isolated to Apple.

[Santino]

Get a PC. I have a Mac Pro with 6GB RAM and all I can say is - get a PC. Don't hook it up to the net and it'll be fine. Final Cut for Mac is an awesome program but Premiere will do all that too - and you can copy your own home DVDs which you can't do on a Mac. I'm having to fire up my old PC just to copy some mountain biking DVDs I made a while back. The Mac won't do it. 6GB of RAM for nothing. Steve Jobs is a tw*t. Get a PC.

What does exactly "copy your own home DVDs" mean?

[cwa107]

What does exactly "copy your own home DVDs" mean?

Yeah, I kinda took a double-take on that one. I've never had a problem copying a DVD. Of course, we don't get into discussion of duplicating commercial DVDs here.

[brianfisher]

OK, tell me how to copy a **definitely home-produced** DVD I made of me and some other guys mountain biking. On a PC it's a drag and drop operation. on a Mac... well, you tell me. And yeah, it's not a commercial DVD. There is absolutely nothing I'd be remotely interested in copying.

[dtravis7]

Unless he is talking Pirating commercial Videos I totally disagree. I have never had an issue on any of my Macs copying a Non Protected DVD.

Copying a homemade DVD on OSX can be drag and drop but I prefer to use Roxio Toast for more control.

CWA, agreed on the Capacitor issue. Even ASUS was hit with it. I have a feeling the OP's iMac is one of the older affected machines.

For the record, ANY discussion of piracy of Commercial DVD's with protection is against the rules here at Mac Forums.